Rotary engine



June 24, 1930. v J. JOHNSON I 1,767,985

ROTARY ENGINE Fil'ed Aug. '7', 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR ATTORNEY June 24, 1930. J. JQHNSON 1,767,985

' ROTARY ENGINE Filed Aug. 7, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNIY Patented June 24, 1930 UNITED STATES JOSEPH JOHNSON, OF PRESCOTT, ARIZONA, .ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO ELVIN R.

PATENT OFFICE JACKSON, OF PHOENIX, ARIZONA ROTARY ENGINE Application filed August 7,

This invention relates to rotary engines and is an improvement upon the engine disclosed in Patent #1,066,413, granted to me July 1, 1913.

An object of the present invention is to improve and simplify the construction of the engine so as to increase its efiiciency of op eration, as well as to provide means whereby its direction of rotation may be controlled.

Another object of the invention is the provision of means to provide a steam by-pass between the intake and exhaust ports of the engine and eliminate dead spots regardless of the position of the engine rotor, as well as to provide a continuous power impulse under full steam pressure without lost motion or loss of energy.

Vith the above and other objects in view, the invention further includes the following novel features and details of construction, to be hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation of an engine constructed in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is a section on the line 22 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a section on the line 33 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a section on the line 44 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary section taken substantially on the line 55 of Figure 2.

Referring to the drawings in detail where in like characters of reference denote corres-spouding parts, the engine as illustrated includes a suitable base upon which is mounted a cylindrical housing 11 whose opposite ends are closed by removable heads 12.

A concentrically arranged shaft 13 is mounted in suitable bearings 14 provided in the heads 12 and secured upon this shaft is the rub 15 of a rotor 16, the rim of which is joined to the hub by means of spokes or webs 17.

The outer periphery of the rim of the rotor is spaced from the inner periphery of the cylindrical. housing 11. Extending from the 1929. Serial No. 384,086.

peripheryof the rotor are spaced lugsor pistonslS which are preferably oppositely inclined as shown at 19. These lugs or pistons are removably secured to the rotor as by dovetailed tongues and slots 20, so that if desired these lugs or pistons may be re-engaged, or they may be replaced by pistons of the type disclosed in my patent above referred to. s

Extending through the housing are spaced ports 21 and 22. These ports are in cominunication with branch pipes 23 and 24,

each of which is controlled by a valve 25 or 26 respectively. v

Mounted for sliding movement within the housing and adapted for engagement with' the outer periphery of the rotor are spaced cut off abutments 27. These abutments. are

yieldingly forced inward against the'rotorby means of springs 28, so that as the rotor operates, the abutments will operatively engage the periphery of the said rotor and will ride over the lugs or pistons 18. As the lugs or pistons are reversely inclined, this action of the cut ofi' abutments will occur irrespective of the direction of rotation of the rotor.

Extending laterally from opposite sides of the rotor chamber are diametrically lo cated by-pass passages 29 whose opposite ends communicate with the ports 21 and 22. The lugs or pistons 18 are equal in length to the width of the rotor chamber as shown in Figure 4 of the drawings, while the cut off open and the valves 25 of these ports closed.

By reference to Figure 3 it willbe seen that steam entering through the ports 21 will expand between the adjacent cutoff abutment 27 and. the adjacent leg piston 18, so that the rotor will be forced in an anti-clockwise direction until the lug or piston reaches the port 22, through which it will exhaust. Steam will be prevented from passing the cut off abutments 27 as these abutments extend into and close the by-pass passages,

By reversing the valves 25 and 26, the rotor may be operated in a reverse direction.

It will be apparent that during the operation of the engine, the lugs or pistons 18 follow one another in rapid succession so that live steam is continuously imparting an impulse to the rotor. WVhen the slide abutments 27 are moved inward they completely out cit the by-pass passages, but when moved outward through the medium of the lugs or pistons 18, live steam passes under the'edges of these slide abutments. The crown of the lugs or pistons never covers more than ap proximately one-third of the ports and only a portion of the live steam at the intake port is spent in hacking into the expansion chambers defined by the lugs or pistons 18 and the slide abutments 27. The steam then re-acts on the lug or piston andprcvents back pressure.

The invention is susceptible of various changes in its form, proportions and minor details of construction and the right is herein reserved to make such changes as properly fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Having described the invention what is claimed is 1. In a rotary engine, a cylindrical casing having spaced ports defining inlet and exhaust ports, a cylindrical rotor concentric with and of less diameter than the inner periphery of the casing, reversely inclined pistons carried by the rotor and engaging the inner periphery of the casing, spaced spring pressed cut of? members slidingly mounted in the casing adjacent each or" the ports and defining with the pistons, expansion chambers, and spaced diametrically located by-pass passages formed in the casing, each of said passages having their opposite ends in communication with two of the ports.

2. In a rotary engine, a cylindrical casing having spaced ports defining inlet and exhaust ports, a cylindrical rotor concentric with and of less diameter than the inner periphery of the casing, pistons carried by the rotor and engaging the inner periphery of the casing, spring pressed cut off members slidingly mounted in the casing and defining together with the pistons spaced expansion chambers and a by-pass passage provided within the casing between and communicating with the inlet and exhaust ports.

3. In a rotary engine, a cylindrical casing having spaced ports defining inlet and exhaust ports, a cylindrical rotor concentric with and of less diameter than the inner periphery of the casing, pistons carried by the rotor and engaging the inner periphery of 

